Page 67 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown

“We were talking about learning how to bow hunt,” I quickly say before Skylar can answer. “This is Skylar, my best friend.”

“Nice to finally meet you, Prince Archie. Adeline has told me a little about you. I would love to get to know you better,” Skylar sweetly says.

It takes everything in me not to widen my eyes and stare at her in shock. When I told her to try and get his attention, I meant subtly and not out in the open like that. What is he going to think about her? That is not the way to get the prince to notice you.

“Skylar,” Prince Archie acknowledges her. “You can set up a time if you would like to get to know me better.”

I blink and look between them. I was not expecting him to be okay with it.

Prince Archie turns toward me. “What about bow hunting?”

“I think it would be cool to do it. I would love to help my father when he is gone. I could go with him for a couple of weeks at a time to help hunt. Then I could help my mother the other time so we can earn a little more when the baby comes,” I overexplain.

He immediately scowls at me, and I flinch back. Not the response I was expecting. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t that. I thought he would be okay with it since I am diversifying my options.

“You will not,” he growls.

I rear my head back, looking at him with eyebrows raised. Where did that come from?

“You will not go help your father or even learn how to bow hunt,” Prince Archie declares.

Something inside of me lights, and I straighten my spine. “If my father needs help, I have no other option but to help. He doesn’t have any sons, and my sister works in the palace. I am the only one available,” I softly say, but there is a bite in my tone.

I know he is the Prince of Bellhollow, but that doesn’t mean he can tell me what I can and can’t do. I want my father to be able to see the baby grow up and not be gone all the time because we have an extra mouth to feed.

“I think I would enjoy it, and it would help my father out,” I try to explain. “There are a lot of things to do around the house, and this would help. Help him have time with his newborn. And it wouldn’t be anything big, just rabbits and other small animals.”

That would mostly be used for meat, but we could start selling meat in our booth. Get more people to come by, instead of keeping it all for us to survive throughout the year.

Skylar gags. “I don’t know how you could do that. Just the thought of having to clean the animals is unbearable.”

I chuckle and shake my head, but before I can do anything, Prince Archie grips my chin really tightly, yanking my head toward him. I cry out in pain, tears pooling in my eyes.

“You will not help your father,” he says, his voice leaving no room for retort. “If I find out that you helped your father, there will be consequences. Do you understand me?”

I nod, hoping he lets go of my chin, but he doesn’t. He continues to hold my head in place, looking directly in my eyes and tightening his grip.

“I won’t,” I whisper, my voice cracking.

Prince Archie lets go of me, stands straight, and smooths down his shirt, making it look pristine once again. “I will see you Monday.”

I watch as he leaves, the guards following him, and I don’t know what to do. What was that? Why did he get so defensive when I talked about wanting to learn something new and helping my father out?

“Oh my,” Skylar whispers. “Are you okay?”

I shrug my shoulders, not looking at her or Kieran. I can still feel his eyes on me, but I don’t want to give away that I’m not okay. I don’t want him to go after the prince.

“Adeline.” Skylar touches my shoulder.

An uneasy feeling flows through my stomach the longer I look at the prince leaving. What kind of threat was that?

“Come on, let’s go to your house. You probably need to get back anyway.” Skylar rises and holds her hand out.

Without thinking, I hold her hand and she helps me up. Numbness is all I feel as we turn. I look at Kieran and can see the worry in his eyes, but I don’t offer anything in return.

“Everything is going to be okay,” Skylar soothes as she leads me home.

CHAPTER 17